Slider holder for slide fasteners

ABSTRACT

A slider holder for holding sliders while assembling a slide fastener chain therethrough, which holder is characterized by the provision of means for supplying sliders automatically to a slider holding means. The supplying means is movable into and away from the path of the holding means which is vertically movable in a support structure.

United States Patent [1 1 Kawakami Oct. 29, 1974.

[ 1 SLIDER HOLDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Primary Examiner-Thomas 1-1. Eager[75] Inventor. Kolchl Kawakaml, Toyama, Japan Attorney g or Firm RobertE Burns; [73] Assignee: Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Emmanuel J.Lobato; Bruce L. Adams Tokyo,Japan [22] 'Filed: Aug. 6, 1973 [21] Appl.No.: 385,808 57 S R C [30] Foreign Application Priority Data A sliderholder for holding sliders while assembling a Aug. 8, 1972 Japan47-79332 Slide fastener Chain lherethrough. which h d s characterized bythe provision of means for supplying [52] U.S. Cl 29/207.5 SL Sliders at ati ally to a slider holding means. Th [51] Int. Cl B23p 19/04 pp y gmea s s mo able into and away from the [58] Field of Search 29/207.5 SL,207.5 ST, p of the holding means which is vertically movable 29 207 5 R,40 in a support structure.

[56] References Cited 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS3,629,926 12/1971 Maeda'..... 29/207.5 SL

1 SLIDER HOLDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to a slider holding device for releasably holdingsliders while assembling a slide fastener chain therethrough.

Slider holders find most application in holding sliders in position formounting on a slide fastener chain already attached to for example agarment fabric such as trouser flies. Such slider holders inconventional use were designed such that the operator had to place andposition the slider on the holder each time with hand, with the resultthat the rate of slider assembly was considerably retarded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the primary object of thepresent invention to provide an improved slider holder whichincorporates structural features whereby the slider is automaticallysupplied and mounted into position on the holder.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved sliderholder which is capable of receiving not only non-locking sliders butalso automatically locking type sliders and retaining them stably inposition during the assembly thereof on a slide fastener chain.

These and other objects and features of the invention will besubsequently apparent from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsin which like reference characters denote like and corresponding parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partly sectional frontelevation of a slider holder according to the invention, showing aslider mounted thereon for assembly on a slide fastener chain;

FIG. 2 is a similar view but showing the holder as in a position forreceiving a slider prior to assembly thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the slider holder of FIGS. 1 and 2,showing a typical mode of application of the same.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawingsand FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, there is shown a slider holderembodying the invention for use in releasably holding a slider S whileassembling or threading a slide fastener chain F therethrough. Theslider holder 10 generally comprises a vertically elongated supportstructure 11 of generally square cross section having an interior guidechannel 12 extending substantially to the full length of the structure11, which guide channel is adapted to accommodate and guide a sliderholding means hereinafter described.

Designated at 13 are frame members constituting the support structure11, and one of which frame members specifically denoted by 13a isprovided therein with a long vertical guide slot 14 for guiding themovement of a reciprocable connecting rod later described. Opposite tothe said one frame member 13a is a frame member 13b which is providedtherein with a short vertical guide slot 15 for receiving a crank-armedclamping means later described.

The slider holding means 16 has a slider mount 17 formed on the top endthereof for receiving the slider S and an opening 18 therein foraccommodating the pull tab S, depending from the slider body.

Designated at 19 is a retaining means pivotally connected as at 20 tothe slider holding means 16 and normally biased by a spring 21 in adirection to press the pull tab S, against a recessed inner wall 22contiguous to the opening 18. I

The movement of the slider holding means 16 is effected by the verticalstroke of the connecting rod 23 having at one end a horizontallyprojecting pin 24, which is fixedly connected to the slider holdingmeans, and at the other end connected to a suitable driving means notshown.

The slider holding means 16 is thus movable vertically within the guidechannel 12 between a first and a second position. In the first positionwherein the slider holding means 16 is lowered, it receives the slider Sas shown in FIG. 2 from a slider supplying means 25 movable into andaway from the guide channel 12. The slider supplying means 25 may bearranged to receive the sliders S for example one at a time from asuitable slider supply chute not shown. Further arrangement of theslider supplying means 25 is optional whereby it can move horizontallyback and forth or turn arcuately in a horizontal plane into and awayfrom the path of the slider holding means 16 in the guide channel 12,for which purpose the frame member or members 13 are provided with alateral opening as at 26 through which the slider supplying means 25 isallowed to pass.

As the slider holding means 16 is lowered into the first position, theretaining means 19 is brought into abutting engagement with a prong 27projecting laterally from the frame member 13b and connected thereto bya compression spring 28. This compression spring 28 is greater intension than the aforesaid spring 21 so that abutting engagement of theretaining means 19 with the prong 27 causes the same to move against thetension of the spring 21 in a direction to release the pull tab S, asshown in FIG. 2. In this position, the slider S is transferred from thesupplying means 25 to the holding means 16 with the pull tab S, inserteddependently through the opening 18. As the holding means 16 now carryingthe slider S is raised toward the second position, the retaining means19 is disengaged from the prong 27 and urged by the spring 21 in adirection to press the pull tab against the recessed wall 22 therebypreventing the slider S from falling away prior to arrival at the secondposition.

As the holding means 16 is further moved upwardly, the prong 27 comesinto contact with an upwardly inclined cam surface 29 of the holdingmeans 16 whereupon it is retracted away from the guide channel 12against the tension of the spring 28.

Designated at 30 is the crank-armed clamping means for clamping theslider S carried on the slider holding means 16 which has arrived at thesecond position wherein the upward movement of the holding means 16 isterminated with the slider S on the mount 17 exposed above the top endof the support structure 11 to permit threading of the fastener chain Fthrough the slider guide channel in the usual manner. The clamping means30 is pivotally connected to the frame member 13b as at 31. One or firstarm 30a of the clamping means 30 extends substantially vertically upwardfrom the pivot 31 and has a hook-shaped projection 32 integrally formedat its free end for coming into and out of engagement with an aperture Sin the pull tab S of the slider S. The other or second arm 30b of theclamping means 30 extends horizontally from the pivot 31 substantiallyat right angles to the first recited arm 30a and has its free endpivotally connected as at 33 to a vertically extending connecting bar34. This bar has a conically shaped contact member 35 disposed at amidpart thereof for coming into and out of engagement with a limitswitch 36. Engagement of the conical member 35 with the limit switch 36causes the latter to close whereupon an actuating means not shown isenergized to effect the downward stroke of the connecting rod 23 tolower the slider holding means 16 toward the first position. A springmember 37 is connected between the other end of the connecting bar 34and the pivotted end of the second recited arm 30b of the clamping means30, and is adapted to normally urge the clamping means 30 in a directionin which the projection 32 engages in the pull tab aperture S of theslider S set in assembling position. Under the influence of the spring37 the projection 32 pulls the pull tab S, downward so as to anchor theslider S firmly in place. This arrangement also ensures that the lockingelement not shown of an automatically locking slider be retracted fromthe slider guide channel to permit running of the fastener chain Ftherethrough.

Upon assembly of the slider S on the fastener chain F the slider S maybe simply pulled apart from the holding means 16 or may be so pulledafter depressing a pressure plate 38 (best shown in FIG. 3) attached tothe arm 30b against the tension of the spring 37. Thus releasing theassembled slider S allows the clamping means 30 to rotate under theinfluence of tension of the spring 37 until the projection 32 movesacross the channel 12 and nearly reaches the frame member 13a asdepicted in FIG. 2. In this position, the absence of the slider S issensed by the clamping means 30 in such a manner that the conicalcontact member 35 engages with and closes the limit switch 36 withresults aforementioned.

Designated at 39 is a table on which the assembling operation may beconveniently performed and which has an opening 40 through which theupper portion of the slider holder 10 is exposed as depicted in FIG. 3.

Having thus described the slider holder 10 according to the invention,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseform and construction hereinabove described and shown in the drawings,but many changes or modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the appended claims. For example, there may be employed a suitablecam mechanism whereby the movement of the clamping means 30 is timelyeffected. A suitable control device may be also associated with theslider holder 10 for coordinating the various operating parts of thelatter.

I claim:

1. A slider holder for releasably holding sliders while assembling aslide fastener chain therethrough, which slider holder comprises:

a vertically elongated support structure having an opening therein;

a slider holding means movable within said opening between a first and asecond position,

said first position defining the mounting of a slider on said sliderholding means; and

a slider supplying means movable into and away from said opening andsupplying sliders to said slider holding means at said second position.

2. A slider holder as defined in claim 1 which includes a crank-armedclamping means pivotally connected to said support structure and havinga hookshaped projection engageable with the slider to retain the latterin position.

1. A slider holder for releasably holding sliders while assembling aslide fastener chain therethrough, which slider holder comprises: avertically elongated support structure having an opening therein; aslider holding means movable within said opening between a first and asecond position, said first position defining the mounting of a slideron said slider holding means; and a slider supplying means movable intoand away from said opening and supplying sliders to said slider holdingmeans at said second position.
 2. A slider holder as defined in claim 1which includes a crank-armed clamping means pivotally connected to saidsupport structure and having a hook-shaped projection engageable withthe slider to retain the latter in position.